1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a rail assembly equipped with an auto closing unit or module and a refrigerator having the same.
2. Background
In a drawer typed door or a drawer structure, an auto closing unit or assembly for allowing the door or the drawer to be completely closed may be mounted. In the auto closing unit that is disclosed in the related art, a pair of springs are mounted on the left and right sides thereof, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,890, so that the door or the drawer can be automatically closed by elastic restoring force of the springs.
In the case of the refrigerator, the drawer typed door opens or closes a storage compartment of the refrigerator while slidably moving in a lateral direction. In this instance, the door is configured to slidably move in an upright state, and the rear edges of the door are brought into close contact with the front edges of the storage compartment. Due to such configuration, a force for overcoming a weight the door, storage box and food is required in order to open the drawer type door.
A magnet is also enclosed inside a gasket mounted on a rear surface of the door, and therefore a force capable of overcoming a magnetic force acting between the rear surface of the door and a front surface of a main body of the refrigerator is further required to open the drawer. In addition, the internal pressure of the storage compartment closed by the door may be lower than the external pressure, and therefore a force capable of overcoming a difference between the internal pressure and the external pressure may be further required. Moreover, a force capable of overcoming the restoring force of the spring provided in the auto closing unit is further required.
In order to open the drawer type door of the refrigerator, the greatest opening force is required shortly before the gasket is separated from the main body of the refrigerator. When the gasket is separated from the main body of the refrigerator, the magnetic force of the magnet in the gasket disappears, and a negative pressure condition of the storage compartment is released, and therefore the opening force is reduced.
Compared to, for example, a desk drawer, the above described weights, the magnetic force of the gasket, the pressure difference, and auto closing springs of the drawer type door of the refrigerator creates inconvenience or difficulty for consumers such as children, the elderly, or women, to open the refrigerator drawer door. However, there is a need to balance the need to minimize the door opening force and a force required to auto closing the refrigerator drawer door.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.